Guard for garbage disposal



Dec. 15, 1964 z, LEVlNE 3,161,360

GUARD FOR GARBAGE DISPOSAL Filed June 10, 1964 GUARD FGR GARBAGE DISPOSAL Zelda B. Levine, 11126 National Blvd, Los Angeles, Caiif.

Filed June It), 1964, Ser. No. 374,064 2 Claims. (Cl. 241-1005) The present invention relates to an improved guard member for use in kitchen sinks, or the like, equipped with garbage disposal units.

The guard member to be described herein is in the form of an apertured circular disc having a plurality of openings formed in it. The guard is intended to be placed in the drain of the sink across the opening of the garbage disposal unit, so as to keep silverware, and other objects, out of the garbage disposal unit, and yet to permit water to flow freely into and through the unit.

It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention, to provide an improved guard for a garbage disposal unit, which serves to prevent utensils, and other objects, from inadvertently entering the disposal unit and thereby becoming damaged and/or damaging the disposal unit itself.

Another object of the invention is to provide such an improved guard for a garbage disposal unit, which is relatively simple to construct and which may be sold at a relatively low price.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide such an improved guard for a garbage disposal unit, which is extremely easy to use and easy to keep clean.

A feature of the invention is the provision of an improved guard for a garbage disposal unit, of the type discussed above, which may be manufactured out of any suitable plastic, or any other suitable material, and which may be dropped into the drain in the sink to rest on the shoulder formed by the flanged opening of the usual garbage disposal unit, and which will remain firmly in place to permit water to flow through the drain into the garbage disposal unit and yet which will keep silverware and other objects out of the disposal unit.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of such a guard for a garbage disposal unit which additionally serves to prevent food particles, and the like, from being emitted from the drain when the garbage disposal unit is in operation.

Yet another feature of the invention is the provision of an integral handle, or knob, for the disc-like portion of the guard, which is constructed in an improved and simplified manner, and which permits the guard to be conveniently inserted and withdrawn from the drain; the knob preferably having a selected height so as to be flush with the entrance to the drain, when the guard is in place.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following description, when the description is taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a guard constructed in accordance with the concepts of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a cross sectional view of the guard of FIGURE 1, taken substantially on the line 2-2 of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a cross sectional view of the guard, taken substantially on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 4 is a perspective representation, partly in section, illustrating the guard of the invention in place in the drain of a kitchen sink.

As mentioned above, the disposal guard of the present invention, designated 10 in the accompanying drawing, may be composed of any appropriate plastic material. In addition, any other material may be used. However, a moldable plastic appears to be preferable at the present United States Patent time, since such a material would permit the guard of the invention to be manufactured rapidly and efiiciently, and on a mass production basis.

The guard 10 includes a disc-like portion 12 which is perforated with a multitude of holes 14. These holes may be in a symmetrical pattern, as shown, or they may be randomly disposed on the disc.

The disc also has an integral handle portion 16 which, as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, is made hollow in the illustrated embodiment, so as to facilitate the molding manufacture of the guard.

A plurality of longitudinal ribs 18 may be formed on the outer surface of the knob 16, so as to provide a convenient gripping surface for the knob.

As shown in FIGURE 4, the guard of the present invention may be placed in the drain of a kitchen sink 20. The sink 20 is equipped with a garbage disposal unit 22. The garbage disposal unit is mounted in the drain of the sink in usual manner, and it has a flanged opening which defines a peripheral shoulder coaxial with the drain.

It will be appreciated that after a quantity of waste has been loaded into the garbage disposal unit, the guard 10 may be dropped into place. In addition, the guard may be inserted when the sink is not in use, or when it is being used for other purposes, such as for washing or rinsing dishes, so that there will be no danger of any utensil, or other object, from inadvertently falling into the drain. When the guard is in place, it rests on the aforesaid peripheral shoulder, and extends across the entrance to the garbage disposal unit.

When the guard is in the illustrated position of FIG- URE 4, the water from the faucet 24 can freely flow into and through the garbage disposal unit. However, silverware and other objects are kept from entering the unit, as is desired.

The guard 10 is preferably manufactured so that the top 'of its knob 16 is flush with the top of the drain, so that it will not protrude into the sink.

The invention provides, therefore, a simple and efficient guard for a garbage disposal unit. The guard of the present invention, as described above, may be manufactured easily and expeditiously, and the guard may be sold at a relatively low price.

In addition, the improved guard of the present invention is extremely simple to handle, and it operates efliciently to perform its intended purpose.

While a particular embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, modifications may be made. It is intended in the claims to cover all modifications which fall within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination: a sink equipped with a drain, said drain having a peripheral shoulder coaxial therewith and displaced down from the entrance thereto; a garbage disposal unit mounted on the outlet of said drain; and a guard removably mounted on said peripheral shoulder in said drain, said guard comprising, a flat apertured disc of plastic material having a diameter corresponding to the internal diameter of said drain and dimensioned to fit into said drain and rest on said peripheral shoulder, and a hollow knob composed of plastic material positioned at the center of said disc and formed integral therewith and extending upwardly from the plane thereof so that its extremity is substantially flush with the entrance to said drain so as to facilitate the insertion and removal of the guard into and out of said drain.

2. The guard defined in claim 1 in which said knob has longitudinal integral ribs formed on the outer surface thereof so as to facilitate the handling of the guard.

(References on following page) References Cited by the Examiner 2,760,728 8/56 Jordan 241-46 UNITED STATES PATENTS 3 223 332 g 24146 1 1 r Jor an 241-46 112,621 3/ 71 3 X ,978,190 4/ 1 Brucken et a1 241-46 1,783,460 12/30 Bmtz- 5 '3 040897 6/62 H 1m 210-482X 2,107,126 2/38 Pa sman 1 4-291 an 2,133,756 10/38 Rodgers. V 0 2,428,420 10/47 Green 241 4 REUBEN FRIEDMAN Primary E 2,698,441 1/55 1 Shobe 241- 46 HARRY B. THORNTON, Examiner. 2,707,080 4/55 Pezzillo. r V I 0 10 

1. IN COMBINATION: A SINK EQUIPPED WITH A DRAIN, SAID DRAIN HAVING A PERIPHERAL SHOULDER COAXIAL THEREWITH AND DISPLACED DOWN FROM THE ENTRANCE THERETO; A GARBAGE DISPOSAL UNIT MOUNTED ON THE OUTLET OF SAID DRAIN; AND A GUARD REMOVABLY MOUNTED ON SAID PERIPHERAL SHOULDER IN SAID DRAIN, SAID GUARD COMPRISING, A FLAT APERTURED DISC OF PLASTIC MATERIAL HAVING A DIAMETER CORRESPONDING TO THE INTERNAL DIAMETER OF SAID DRAIN AND DIMENSIONED TO FIT INTO SAID DRAIN AND REST ON SAID PERIPHERAL SHOULDER, AND A HOLLOW KNOB COMPOSED OF PLASTIC MATERIAL POSITIONED AT THE CENTER OF SAID DISC AND FORMED INTEGRAL THEREWITH AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM THE PLANE THEREOF SO THAT ITS EXTREMITY IS SUBSTANTIALLY FLUSH WITH THE ENTRANCE TO SAID DRAIN SO AS TO FACILITATE THE INSERTION AND REMOVAL OF THE GUARD INTO AND OUT OF SAID DRAIN. 